Anthony Albanese announces biggest gun buyback scheme since the 1996 Port Arthur massacre

Australia will launch the largest gun buyback scheme in three decades and sweeping new measures to crack down on hate as Federal and State Government’s vow to work closely together in the wake of the Bondi Beach terror attack.

Anthony Albanese unveiled the national buyback scheme, the largest since the Port Arthur massacre, on Friday - five days after the worst terror attack on Australian soil.

He said the then Liberal-Howard Government in 1996 “did the right thing” and he, too, would now act in “Australia’s national interest” after 15 Hanukkah revellers were murdered and almost two dozen were injured.

While the scheme would be finalised in coming days Mr Albanese said it would “purchase surplus, newly banned and illegal firearms” and would be mandatory in parts of the country but voluntary in others.

Shortly after, NSW Premier Chris Minns called for a “summer of calm”, revealing further details about his plan for “extraordinary powers” to crack down on protests in the wake of Sunday’s attack.

Mr Minns said Labor will seek to introduce reforms when parliament was recalled on Monday to restrict the authorisation of public assemblies in a specific area “during high-risk times, like when there is a terrorist event in NSW” in the wake of the massacre.

The declaration, requiring agreement of police and the Police Minister, could apply to anywhere in the State and would deny even the courts the ability to green light a protest.

“We hope this will be a strong signal to the community that assemblies in public spaces in a designated area are unsafe or discouraged during a period of mourning or division or terrorism,” Mr Minns said.

The Premier said the declaration would have to be called within 14 days of a terrorism designation being reached under the Police Powers Act.

“It will then be in order for 14 days, but can be extended for a further 14 days, up to a period of three months,” he said.

“This is obviously extraordinary powers not seen before in any jurisdiction in the country.”

It is expected a protest designation will be made once the legislation is passed as early as Monday.

“I think the public’s expectation that we can have a summer of calm, rather than one of division and hatred and protest,” he said.

“These are important changes, but they’re necessary, we believe, to live up to the number one priority of any government in office, the number one priority for any political leader, any government, or any parliament, and that is to protect its citizens.”

NSW Police later issued a statement urging people wishing to protest in the wake of the Bondi attack to “choose other ways to come together peacefully”.

“Police are also aware of a number of planned unauthorised gatherings around the State this weekend which have been promoted on social media. These have not gone through the formal process,” it stated.

“We strongly encourage those planning or attending these events to reconsider.”

Mr Albanese, flanked by AFP Commissioner Krissy Barrett and Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke in Canberra, said he was surprised one of the Islamic State-inspired gunmen had access to six guns in suburban Sydney, some of which were identical high power shotguns.

“There is something wrong with the licensing laws when this guy can have six high-powered rifles which is why the Government is acting,” he said.

“Australia’s gun laws were substantially reformed after the Port Arthur tragedy. The terrible events at Bondi show we need to get more guns off our streets.

“We know that one of these terrorists held a firearm licence and had six guns, in spite of living in the middle of Sydney’s suburbs there at Bonnyrigg.

“There’s no reason why someone in that situation needed that many guns. There are now more than four million firearms in Australia - more than at the time of the Port Arthur massacre nearly 30 years ago.

“The Government will introduce legislation to support the funding of this buyback scheme and meet the costs on a 50-50 basis with States and Territories.”

The PM declared that the scheme would mirror the approach in 1996, where States and territories would be responsible for the collection, processing, and payment to individuals for surrendered firearms. The Australian Federal Police will then be responsible for their destruction.

The PM acknowledged gun reform was largely a State issue and called for Premier’s across jurisdictions to engaged constructively: “I would hope all premiers and chief ministers engage in the spirit in which this is intended. Which is about keeping Australians safe”.

Mr Albanese ruled out recalling Parliament before Christmas as the Opposition had called for, saying it was “not practical” given the timeline for drafting of the “complex” legislation.

“We’re going to make sure that we get the laws right,” he said, flagging potential hurdles with “constitutional issues” and “issues of free speech”.

He said the scheme came on top of the five key measures agreed to by National Cabinet on Monday, which included making Australian citizenship a condition of holding a firearm licence, fast-tracking the setup of a National Firearms Register, and limiting the number and types of firearms one individual can hold.

Mr Minns also detailed what he described as once-in-a generation reforms to the state’s gun laws, with a bill imposing a cap of four firearms per individual with strict exemptions for primary producers and sporting shooters.

“We will reclassify straight, pull, pump-action, button, lever release firearms into category C – limiting their access primarily to farmers, agriculture, primary producers,” Mr Minns said.

“The emergency set of reforms also proposes a ban of firearms that can use belt-fed magazines and will reduce magazine capacities for category A and B firearms to a maximum of five to 10 rounds.”

If passed, the changes would mean NSW gun owners with more than four would be forced to hand back firearms over the cap. Owners would also face stronger storage inspections and would be mandated to be members of a gun club.

The carve-out for primary producers and sporting shooters will mean a cap of 10 guns per individual and the appeals process after someone’s license is taken off them would be scrapped.

Federal Labor MP Dan Repacholi has, however, vowed he won’t support gun agenda measures which he said are “symbolic” in the wake of the massacre, adding that they’re “not the answer”.

Mr Albanese’s backbencher, who is an Olympic shooter, on Friday released a statement to ensure his position was “consistent and clear” after claiming thousands of constituents had reached out to him in recent days.

“Australia has strong gun laws and they save lives, but I do not support changes that unfairly target responsible, law-abiding firearms owners,” the Hunter MP said.

“Measures that are blunt, symbolic or simply designed to appease public anger without improving safety are not the answer.”

The PM said while he understood Mr Repacholi was “rightly proud” of his sporting background — which includes representing Australia at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics — action needed to be taken on guns.

“He has a proud record going back. But if a bloke in Bonnyrigg needs six high-powered rifles and is able to get them under the existing licensing scheme, then there’s something wrong. I think Australians can see that,” he said.

Gun enthusiast groups have already spoken out against the reforms, saying the actions of terrorists would impact responsible, law-abiding firearms holders.

A petition launched by Daniel Sharp and backed by Libertarian Party MP John Ruddick, has already amassed more than 500 signatures.

Opposition Leader Sussan Ley and Coalition MPs again met with community members in Bondi on Friday.

Ms Ley was among thousands to attend a paddle out to remember victims and also paid her respects on the re-opened footbridge where the alleged attackers launched their assault on Sunday.

A spokesman for the Opposition Leader said the Coalition would support “a sensible and proportionate examination of current gun laws” but called for the release of more detail after Mr Albanese’s announcement.

“The Government says this won’t be determined for months, but there are laws that the Parliament could pass today to directly eradicate antisemitism, combat extremism and strengthen counter terrorism measures,” he said.

“We continue to call for the Parliament to be recalled on Monday — if the Prime Minister is incapable of drafting appropriate legislation, we stand ready to do that for him.”

Ms Ley unveiled her own policy response on Thursday, which included expanding offences for which dual nationals could have their citizenship stripped and strengthening powers to deny and cancel visas for those who preach or engage in anti-Semitism.

Nationals Senator Bridget McKenzie said the Prime Minister needed to remember “It’s not the gun, it’s Islamic terrorism”.

“It’s much easier to say it’s the gun, instead of actually standing up as Prime Minister and accepting the fact that Islamic terrorism is now on our shores,” the Senator and recreational shooter told Sunrise on Thursday.

“If you’re going to fix something you’ve got to be able to name it.”

Her call echoed an impassioned speech by former Liberal frontbencher and prominent Jewish Australian Josh Frydenberg at the Bondi memorial on Wednesday.

Mr Frydenberg had joined mourners, Coalition MPs, and members of the Jewish community to express disappointment in Labor’s response to rising anti-Semitism in Australia since the October 7, 2023 Hamas terror attack.

The PM also announced sweeping changes to hate speech laws and fired back at suggestions his Government hadn’t acted to stem anti-Semitism sooner.

“We introduced the first hate speech laws that have been introduced in Australia. We’re the first government to outlaw nazi symbols,” he said.

“We’ve provided every level of support.”

Mr Burke said the government would lower the legal thresholds for hate crimes, hate speech, and the use of hate symbols and expand resources to dedicated teams to target anyone engaging in such behaviour.

Commissioner Barrett said the expansion of AFP’s “fly-in squad of hate disrupters” would allow them to focus on “high-harm, high-impact, politically motivated violence, communal violence, and hate crimes that don’t meet the threshold for terrorism investigations, but that we know drive fear and division”.

“The announcement today to boost the numbers of our hate disrupters, as well as planned changes to lower the threshold for hate speech, will make it easier for the AFP to take action quicker,” she said.

A National Day of Mourning will be held in January to remember the victims of the Bondi terror attack.

The PM also urged all Australians to take part in a minute of silence and light a candle at 6.47pm on Sunday, exactly one week from the massacre, as “a quiet act of remembrance”.

As a symbol of remembrance on the day, all flags on NSW and Federal Government buildings will be flown at half mast.

Federal Health Minister Mark Butler also announced a $42.6 million package on Friday for extra mental health support for those traumatised by the massacre.

The NSW government has also launched an “Unite for Bondi – Bondi Terror Attack Appeal” with Rotary.